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State Board of Education Completes Revisions to Academic Standards

One of the NC Chamber’s top education priorities has been protecting and strengthening our state’s academic standards. On Thursday, the State Board of Education gave final approval to revised math standards for grades kindergarten through eight. The State Board has now reviewed, revised and improved all math and English Language Arts standards. For the business community, parents, teachers and policymakers, this is a tremendous outcome.

Thursday’s vote marked the culmination of a six-year process to revise and improve North Carolina’s academic standards, which set career and college readiness expectations for all students. The revisions are the product of a vast, collaborative effort by educators from K-12 and higher education, the business community, parents and policymakers. As we work to align the needs of job creators with the goals of our education system to further workforce development, these standards are a testament to what can be accomplished when the business community and state’s education leaders come together.

We are thankful for the State Board’s leadership in helping us remain competitive with other states for workforce development. Superintendent Mark Johnson made the process even stronger by recommending an external review by education policymakers in other states. We encourage the board to make this external review a standard practice in the future in order to ensure our standards remain clear, rigorous and competitive.

While the growing skills gap remains a top concern for North Carolina business leaders, these HIRE standards will be integral in closing that gap. Improving career and college readiness through HIRE standards will ensure North Carolina is a top producer of a globally competitive workforce and that our students are prepared for the jobs of tomorrow.

As part of our effort to make North Carolina a top-ten state for workforce readiness, the NC Chamber will continue to defend and support high academic standards for North Carolina students. We thank all of those involved in this revision process for their leadership and dedication to installing high, competitive academic standards in North Carolina’s education system.

Gary J. Salamido
Vice President, Government Affairs
North Carolina Chamber